Machine for applying closures to containers



Dec.6,1927. 1,651,903

T. E. PENNOCK MACHINE FOR APPLYING CLOSURES TO CONTAINERS Original Filed March 7. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR 7%605/0/4? [fl e/wind /;3 ATTORNEY T. E. PENNOCK MACHINE FOR APPLYING CLOSURES TO CONTAINERS Dec. 6, 192 7.

Original Filed March '7. 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l NVENTOR fimaarefiw fi MMK. 15 ATTORNEY Patented Dec. d, 1927.

warren stares rarest caries;

THEODORE PENNOCK, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO. STANDARD AUTO- MATIC MACHINE COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, .NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OE NEW YORK.

MACHINE non arrnrrne cnosnnns TO con'ranvnns.

Original application filed March 7, 1921, Serial No. 450,187. Divided and. this application filed March 7,

ieai. serial-no. 450,183.

This invention has to do with machines for applying closures to containers and relates more particularly to the variety of machines adapted to fix a. closure, suchas a.

cap, on a bottle, can or other. contaimart application thereof.

where the engagement between the closure and container is by means of a thread requiring rotation of one or other of the parts.

This application is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 450,187. filed March 7, 1921 for Machines for applying closures to containers, the chief object of the present invention being to provide a practical and efficient machine of general utility for the purpose described and especially suitable for fixing caps on containers where the latter parts engage each other by a continuous form of thread, and adapted to accomplish the operation rapidly and in a. reliable manner, To these and other ends the invention consists in certain improvements and combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in central vertical section. of a machine embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary detailed view of the container support and means for holding a container thereon.

Figure 4 is a central vertical section, enlarged, of the spindle means for one of the closure gripping devices or chucks.

Figure 5 is a similar view of the lower portion of a chuck spindle and chuck. show ing also a cap and container in operating position.

Figure 6 is a section on the line 66 of Figure 4.

Similar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate the same parts.

The present invention provides a machine of general utility in its clas adapted in the present instance for screwing caps on containers having threaded engagement with each other. and is especially suitable for use where the thread connecting the closure and container is of the continuous type.

The present embodiment, however, is ca able of various modifications, the details 0 construction and operation, being intended merely by way of illustration of the prin eiples involved and a preferred practical Referring to the drawings, and first to Figure 1, there is shown at 10 a stationary base formed with stepped .flange portions 11 m and 12, on the former of which is fixed, as by means of bolts 13, the flange 14 of an upwardly extending sleeve 15. Base 10 is centrally cored to provide a vertical bearing 16 in which and in the bore of sleeve 15 is ad- 25 justably slidable a tubular, normally sta tionary support or column 17. The latter has a keyway 18 cut therein with which cooperate one or more keys 19 in the sleeve 15, so that the column may be raised and lowered in the base, but is held against rotation therein. The upper end of base 10 is recessed as at 20 to receive a worm wheel 21 having threaded engagement with column 17 and rotatably supported between it? the base and the lower end of its sleeve 15. Wheel 21 may be rotated in any suitable manner, as by means of an intermeshing worm (not shown), such as disclosed in my said co-pending application, which, howam ever. forms no part of the present invention, and it is apparent that the rotation of gear 21 serves to adjustably elevate or lower column 17 for a purpose which will presently appear.

The flange 12 of base 10 is provided with an annular bearing surface 22 on which is rotatably supported a worm wheel 23 having fixed thereon as by means of bolts 24 a plurality of legs 25 carrying a container holdw ing means or support 26, in the form of acircular table. The latter is provided'adjacent its center with a bearing 27 on the upper end of sleeve 15 to guide the table for rotation on the bearing surface 22. it being apparent that gear 23 may be rotated by'any suitable means such as an intermeshing worm (not shown). as' disclosed in my said copcnding application. to rotate table 26 and parts associated therewith. Table 26 1% carries a plurality of holding means for securely holding a plurality of containers in spaced relation on the table during the capping operation as later described. The table 26 thus rotatably supported on the base 10 forms part of a. main rotary frame comprising in addition to the table an upper frame portion rotatably guided on the column 17 and connected with the table by means of angle brackets 28 bolted on the latter between the container holders. These brackets are provided with slots 29 in which are admay be raised. or lowered by raising or lowering the column in the manner described,

' after which adjustmentthe bolts 30 may be tightened to secure the parts rigidly together. Fixed to the upper side of platform 32 as by means ofbolts 35 are pairs of parallel spaced plates 36 secured at their upper ends as bymeans of bolts 37 to webs or plates 38 depending from the upper horizontal platform 39. The latter, like the lower corresponding platform 32, is provided with a hearing sleeve 39 rotating on the upper end of column 17. The upper portion of the rotary frame thus forms a rigid structure which is adjustably but rigidly connected also to table'26. v

The closure engaging devices or capping chucks; of which in the present instance there are six, together with the mechanism 1. for operating the'same, are carried by the upper frame portion, one above each container positionon table 26. To this end the platforms 32 and 39 of the frame carry pairs of vertically aligned bearings 40 and 41, re-

spectively, in which the spindle means for the chuck are rotatably and longitudinally movable. Referring to Figure 4. each upper bearing 41 has rotatably .fitted' therein a sleeve 42 provided at its upper end with a gear 43 and at its lower end with a threadedly attached shoulder or nut 44, by means of which parts the sleeve is held against long tudinal movement in the bearing. Sleeve 42 has fitted therein and splined thereto, as at 45, a secondsleeve 46 which thus rotates with the first sleeve but is longitudinally movable therein. Sleeve 46 extends downwardly below its bearing and is formed at its lower end with a flange 47, and also with a groove 48 in which engages an operating lever effecting vertical movement of the sleeve as hereafterdescribed. Within sleeve 46 inspaced relation therewith is a coextensive sleeve 49 having threadedly' secured on its upper end a nut 50 rotatably fitted to the bore of sleeve 46 and thusmaintaining the latter and the inner sleeve 49 in proper spaced relation at their u per ends, while flange 47 projecting inward y of sleeve 46', as

at 52, serves to similarly space the sleeves adjacent their bottoms. Sleeve-49 carries at its lower end below flange 47 a cooperating flange 51, between which flanges is interposed a suitable frictional material such as leather, 53, so that these flanges formca yielding clutch'means. Coiled about sleeve 49 between the latter and sleeve 46 is a compression spring 54 bearing at its upper end against nut 50 and at its lower end against the portion 52 of flange 47. This spring maintains the yielding clutch parts in frictional engagement with each other and by the adjustment of nut 50 the degree of compression of the spring may be varied to vary the force transmitted by these clutch parts before slippa e occurs.

The chuck spin le is indicated at 55 as rotatably and slidably carried in the sleeve or hollow shaft 49 and has fixed thereon a collar 56 provided with a groove 57 in which engages an operating lever hereafter described as effecting vertical movement of the spindle and chuck. Collar 56 carries on its upper surface a series of clutch teeth 58 adapted to cooperate with a corresponding series of teeth 59 on theunder surface of flange 51, these teeth forming a positive clutch means adapted to be engaged and disengaged by the vertical movement of sleeve 46.

The cap engaging means or chuck is best shown in Figure 5 as carried at the lower end of spindle 55, comprising a sleeve 60 provlded with a groove 61 in which engages an actuating lever hereafter described. Sleeve 60 has'adjustably secured at its lower end a plate 62 secured on the sleeve by means of a lock nut'63 and carrying at its periphery a substantially cylindrical housing 64 having an open lower end. Fixed on;the housmg at its lower end around the opening therein is a cam shoulder 65 adapted to slidably engage the outer sides of a plurality of chuck jaws 66 provided on their inner sides with a cap engaging or gripping surfaces 67,

one of the caps being shown at 68 as engaged by the chuck. The chuck jaws are plvotally supported at- 69 on a frame 70 fixed on the lower end of spindle 55 and are formed on their lower outer sides with camnilng surfaces 71. It is apparent that as housing 64 is moved downwardly relative to the chuck jaws its shoulder 65 engaging the surfaces 71 tends to close the jaws to grip the chuck. Upon upward movementof the housing relative to the chuck, the shoulder 65 releases the chuck jaws and a shoulder 72 o n the inner side.- of the housing striking res1l1entupper ends 73 on the chuck jaws, forcing the latter apart to release the cap.

to the chuck with the jaws in open position.

A container is indicated at 74 in position to receive the cap 68 as the chuck -is lowered.

The operating means for the various parts of. each chuck and its spindle means comprise, preferably, a plurality of cams 75, 76 and 77, fixed on column 17 between the platforms of the upper frame portions. Cooperating with these cams are followers or rollers 7 8," 7 9 and 80 respectively, carried at the inner ends of levers 8l, 82 and 83, each pivoted as at 84 in the corresponding pair of spaced vertical plates 36. Each of these levers is bifurcated at its outer end and the upper lever Slengages in groove 48 of sleeve 46 to raise and lower the latter to engage and disengage the positive clutch parts 58 and 59 for starting and stopping he rotation imparted to the chuck by means presently to be described. Lever 82 engages in groove 57 of collar 56to raise and lower chuck spindle 55 to effect the necessary vertical movement of the cap relative to the container on support 26. Similarly lever 83 engages at its outer end in groove 61 of the chuck housing to raise and lower the latter relative to the chuck to operate the jaw, it being understood of course that levers 81 and 83 follow the movements of lever 82 except at the times for moving the particular members which they control, as effected by suitable design of the cams 75, 76 and 77. Cams 75 and 77 actuate their respective rol lers ositively in both directions. while the weig it of the chucks and associated parts is suflicient to maintain roller 79 in contact with cam 7 6, but of course these cams may be designed as found suitable.

As shown in Figure 1, the lower profile of cam 77 for actuating the clutch jaws extends only part way around the cam, being adapted to swing lever 83 at the proper time for actuating the jaws' to. grip a cap supplied for example by feeding means (not: shown) beyond which point the lower profile of the cam is discontinued. When a cap is presented to the jaws and gripped thereby the friction of the cam shoulders 65 on the latter with the cap clamped therein is suflicient to maintain these parts in such cap clamping position with spring 7 3 compressed. If, however, no cap is presented to the device such frictional restraint is not produced and spring 7 3 sufiiciently overbalances the weight of the chuck housing to raise the lat ter and thus release the clamp jaws. this re lease being permitted by the discontinuance of the cam surface. Thus if no cap is supphed the jaws arereleased so that when brought down over a container they are sufliciently expanded to clear the latter without danger of breaking it.

The means for rotating the chuck spindl means comprises, preferably, a large gear 85 fixed on the upper end of column 17 and secured in place as by means of a nut 86 closing the top of the column. Gear 85 is thus stationarily supported and has meshing therewith a plurality of gears .43 carried by the various spindle means, so that during the rotation of the main frame the upper parts of the spindle means including sleeve 46, are continuously rotated. By means of the yielding clutch parts 47 and 51 the inner sleeve 49 is frictionally driven and drives the upper positive clutch part 59 and the chuck is thus rotated while the positive clutch parts are in engagement, except for the slippage of the yieldable clutch parts when the cap has been fully turned home on the container.

The means for holding the containers on bed 26 comprises, preferably, an IL shaped member 87, Figure 3, pivotally supported at 88 and adapted to receive in the angle of its L shaped portion one of the containers 74. The members 87 are adapted to be swung about their pivots to engage and discharge the containers, in connection with a. feeding means, by mechanism such as that disclosed in my said co-pending application, which mechanism, however. forms 'no part of the present invention. lVhen' in position to support a container for cooperation with a capping mechanism, member 87 rests in the position shown in Figure 3 against the stop pin 89 on the table'and is held in such position by a lever 90 pivoted on a stud 91 on the bed and having a hooked end 92 en gaging in a recess in member 87, the lever being urged to such position by means of a spring 93. The opposite end of the lever carries a roller 94 adapted to be engaged by a cam 95 fixed on the upper end ofthe stationary frame 16 of the base, to periodically release the member 87. Also for holding a container in position on the latter there is provided an arm 96 pivoted on the stud 91 and actuated through a suitable resilient or spring connection 97 by means of lever 98 also pivoted on stud 91 and having at its opposite end a roller 99 cooperating with an interior surface of cam 95 Withwhich' the roller is held in engagement as by means of a spring 100, the cam serving to periodically move the arms 96 and 98 to release a container after being capped. Each such holding means therefore is adapted to support a container on support 26 in position below each of the capping chucks for cooperation with the latter.

, 'In operation the upper portion of the rotary frame is adjusted in the manner described by raising or lowering the column 17 to bring the capping devices or chucks to proper operating distance from the container support, depending upon the size and style of container and closure to be handled. In my said co-pending'application means have .been described for feeding containers. and caps to the machine autocontainers comprising a stationary support,

matically, and it is apparent from the above described construction that as the main frame is rotated on the stationary base and column, the upper portion of each chuck spindle means including the upper half of each of the positive clutches is continuously rotated relative to the rotating frame, these clutch parts being normall disengaged.

Also, by means of the cams 5, 76, and 77 and cooperating members described, the chuck jaws are opened and closed at the proper times to grip a cap and the chuck ismoved toward a container to apply the cap thereto. Since the caps require different. degrees of rotation during the operation of the machine to bring the starting points of their threads into engagement with the starting points of the threads on the containers, and also subsequent rotation to turn the cap home,.it is desirable to provide for engagement of the positive clutch parts of chuck spindles for a period sufficient to turn a cap fully home on the container under all conditions of initial engagement with a container and to provide the yieldable clutch described for permitting slippage of they parts driving the positive clutch when the ca is fully securedon the container. In this manner the capis turned home with a force sufficient to insure a tight closure, while at the same time there is no danger of breakage ofany of the parts, by reason of the yieldable frictional driving connection "described. Moreover by the adjustment of the pressure between the yieldable clutch parts the amount of force transmitted by such parts before slipping may be adjusted to control the force applied to the closure to insure screwing the latter tightly on the container.

As apparent from the above description, the machine is practical and efficient in character and rapid and reliable in opera tion and the yielding character of the actuation for thecapping mechanism, as well as of the means for holding the containers in position, reduces the danger of breakage of any of the parts to a minimum.

Iclaim as my invention:

1. A machine for applying closures to containers comprising a stationary support, a rotary frame having a container hold ng and clamping support, a closure engaging device'carried by the frame for rotation relative thereto, and provided with means for gripping and carrying a closure, operating means for moving said device toward and from said container support, a train of during rotation of the frame, and mechanism for intermittently inte'rruptingthe rotation of said device by said gear tram.

2.. A machine for applying closures to a rotary frame having a container holding and clamping support, an element carried by said frame for rotation relative thereto and provided with a closure engaging de- K vice having means adapted to grip and carry a closure, operating means for mov ng sald device toward and from said contamer support, a. tram of gears connecting said stat onary support and element for continuously rotating said element during rota tion of said frame, and clutch mechanism for controlling the rotation of said device.

3. A machine for applying closures to containers comprising a support and frame rotatable relative to each other, container supporting and clamping means on said frame, an element rotatably carried by said frame and provided with"a closure engaging device having relatively movable parts adapted to grip and carry a closure, operating means for moving said device toward and from said container supporting means, a train of gears connecting said support and element for continuously rotating thelatter, and mechanism for intermittently interrupting the rotation of said device by said gear train. p

4. A machine for applying closures to containers comprising a support and frame rotatable relative to each other, container supporting means on said frame, an element rotatably carried by said frame and provided with a closure engaging device, operating means for moving said device toward and from said container supporting means, gearing connectin said support and element for continuous y rotating the latter and r0- vided with cooperating parts adapts to. yield to retard the rotation of said element,

and mechanism for intermittently interrupting the rotation of said device by said element.

5. A machine for applying closures to containers comprising a support and frame rotatable relative to each other, container supporting, means on said frame, an element rotatably carried by said frame and provided with a closure engaging device, operating means for moving said device toward and from said container supporting'means, gearing connecting said support and element for continuously rotating the latter, yieldable clutch means and also positive clutch means for controllin rotation of said device, and mechanism or intermittently actu-' ating said positive clutch means. 6. A machine for applying closures to essons gearing connecting said support and element for continuously rotating the latter, yieldable clutch means for controlling rotation of said device provided with means for adjusting the force transmitted thereby, positive clutch means for controlling rotation of said mechanism carried by said frame and connected with said support for intermittently actuating said positive clutch means. V

7. A machine for applying closures to containers comprising a stationary support, a rotary frame having a container holding support, a spindle rotatably carried by the frame and provided with a closure engaging device, 'a gear on said stationary support, a second gear meshing with said stationary gear, yieldable clutch means and also positive clutch means connecting said second gear with said device, and mechanism for intermittently actuating said positive clutch means.

8. A machine for applying closures to containers comprising a stationary support, a rotary frame having a container holding support, a spindle rotatably carried by the frame and provided with a closure engaging device, operating means for moving said device toward and from said container support, a gear on said stationary support, a second. gear meshing with. said stationary gear, yieldable clutch means actuated by said second gear and provided with means for adjusting the force transmitted, a positive clutch connecting said yieldable clutch means and device, and mechanism on the frame.

connected with said stationary support for intermittently actuating said positive clutch.

9. A machine for applying closures to containers comprising a support and frame rotatable relative to each other, container supporting means on said frame, a device rotatably carried by the frame having movable closure gripping parts, actuating means for intermittently moving said parts to grip and release a closure, a train of gears connecting said support and device and provided with yieldably cooperating parts for yieldably rotating said device during relative rotation of the support and frame, and mechanism for intermittently interrupting the rotation'of said device.

10. A machine for applying closures to containers comprising a stationary support, a rotary frame provided with container holda ing means, a device rotatable on the frame and having movable parts for gripping a closure, actuating means for moving said parts, actuating means for rotating said device including yieldable clutch means, a positive clutch for controlling rotation of said device and actuating mechanism for the same, and operating means for moving said device toward and from said container holding means.

11. A machine for applying closures to containers comprising a stationary support a rotary frame provided with a plurality of spaced container holding means, a plurality of devices rotatably carried on the frame and each having movable parts for gripping a closure, actuating means for said gripping parts, operating means for affecting relative movement of said container holding means and devices toward and from each other, a driving gear fixed on said support, a driven gear on said frame for each of said devices meshing with said fixed gear, a yieldable clutch and also a positive clutch connecting each driven gear with the corresponding devii e, and actuating means for intermittently umn, a frame rotatable thereon provided with a plurality of spaced container holding means, a plurality of spindle means rotatably carried by said frame, a device for each of said spindle means having movable cap griping parts, a clutch connecting each of said devices and spindle means, a plurality of cams on said column and cooperating parts on said frame for moving said devices toward and from said container holding means and for actuating said clutches and gripping parts, a gear fixed on said column, and a plurality of gears meshing therewith and each having a connection with one of said spindle means including yieldably cooperating parts adapted to slip when the cap is turned home. y

13. A container capping machine comprising a stationary support, a frame rotatable thereon having a container holding means, a gear fixed on said support, a sleeve rotatably carried b said frame, a second sleeve splined to sai first sleeve, a hollow shaft within said second sleeve, cooperating frictional clutch surfaces on said second sleeve and shaft, a spring maintaining said surfaces positive clutch parts, and means for rotating said frame.

14. A machine for applying screw closures to containers comprising a support and frame rotatable relatively to each other, a

plurality of container holding means on said frame, a plurality of closure engaging devices rotatably carried by said frame and provided with relatively movable parts 'said support, a plurality of planetary gears in mesh with said sun gear and rotated thereby continuously in the same direction for rotating said devices during the relative rotation of said support and frame, and yieldable connections between said planetary gears and devices to provide for terminating the rotation of the latter when the closures are screwed home on the containers.

15. A machine for applying screw closures to containers comprising a support, a fram rotatably carried by said support, a plurality of container holding and clamping means on said frame, a plurality of closure applying devices rotatably carried by said frame and provided with means adapted to grip a closure for screwing the same on "a container,- means lncludmg a cam on said support for moving said devices toward and from said container holdlng means, a sun gear carried by said support, a plurality of planetary gears continuously in meshing with said V sun gear for rotating said devices uniformly in the same direction during, the rotation of said frame to screw the closures on the containers and clutch means for controlling the rotation of said devices.

16. A machine for applying screw closures to containers comprising a support, a

frame rotatably carried by said support, a

plurality of container holding means on said frame, a plurality of closure engaging devices rotatably carried by said frame, a sun gear on said support, a plurality of planetary gears in mesh with said sun gear for rotating said devices during rotation of said frame, clutch means for controlling rotation of said devices, and means including cams on said support for controlling said clutch means and moving said container holding means and devices relatively toward and from each other.

17. A machine for applying screw closures to containers comprlsing a support, a

frame rotatably carried by said support, a

frame, clutch means for controlling a grip and release the closures;

frame, a plurality of closure enfgaging devices rotatably carried by'said rame, each provided with relatively movable parts 'adaptedto grip and carry a closure, a sun "port for actuating said parts to grip and release the closures and for moving said container holding means and devices toward and from one another.

18. A machine for applying screw closures to containers comprising a support, a frame rotatably carried by'said support,-a plurality of container holding means on said frame, a plurality of closure on aging devices rotatably carried by said and ame, and

each provided with relatively movable parts gear on said support, a plurality of planetary gears in mesh with said sun gear for rotating said devices duringrotation of said rotation of said devices, and means on said support for actuating said parts to grip and release the closure, for controlling said clutch means and for moving said container holding means and devices toward and from one another.

19. In a machine for applying screw closures to containers, the combination of a rotation of said frame, yieldable clutch means between said planetary gears and de- Vices permitting the rotation of the latter to stop when said closures are screwed home operating means comprising a cam on said support for moving said container holdmg means and devices relatively toward an from one another, and actuating means comprising a stationary part on said support for actuating said closure engaging parts to THEODORE E. PENNocK.

adapted to grip and carry a closure, a sun support, a frame rotatably carried by said- 

